Iran cleric urges executions, threatens Trump amid deadly protest crackdown
Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami urged executions for detained protesters, threatened President Donald Trump, and cited widespread damage as Iran's authorities suppressed nationwide protests with internet blackout.
Overview
Who: Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami, a hard-line Friday prayer leader appointed by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, demanded the death penalty for detained protesters and accused them of serving foreign adversaries.
What: The sermons, broadcast on state radio, provoked chants calling for executions; authorities reported extensive damage and say protests threatened national stability.
Where and when: The events occurred in Tehran and nationwide after protests began Dec. 28; a countrywide internet blackout was imposed Jan. 8 during a violent crackdown.
Why and how: Authorities say protests targeted religious sites and infrastructure; rights groups report thousands killed, while U.S. officials warned of possible action if executions occur.
International reaction: The U.S. urged restraint and warned all options are on the table; regional and global leaders sought de-escalation amid fears of wider instability.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story as a regime crackdown threatening both protesters and U.S. interests, using loaded descriptors (hard-line, "harsh repression," "fiery") and emphasizing U.S. "red lines" and HRANA casualty tallies. Editorial choices prioritize regime threat and U.S. response; quoted cleric language remains source content.
Sources (3)
FAQ
Ayatollah Ahmad Khatami is a senior hard-line Iranian cleric born in 1960, appointed by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei as Tehran's substitute Friday prayer leader since 2005, and a member of both the Guardian Council and the Assembly of Experts.[1]
The protests began on December 28, 2025, over Iran's ailing economy and evolved into demonstrations challenging the theocracy, leading to a harsh crackdown.[1]
Khatami urged the death penalty for detained protesters, called them 'butlers' of Netanyahu and 'Trump's soldiers,' and threatened hard revenge against Netanyahu and Trump.[1]
The Human Rights Activists News Agency reports at least 2,797 deaths; Khatami claimed damage to 350 mosques, 126 prayer halls, 20 holy places, and 80 homes of prayer leaders.[1]
President Trump has set executions and killing of peaceful protesters as red lines for possible military action; the U.S. urged restraint with all options on the table.[1]
History
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